Conospermum ericifolium is a flowering plant of the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect shrub with linear leaves, panicles of cream-coloured to white flowers and hairy, golden nuts.
| Conospermum ericifolium | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Conospermum |
| Species: | C. ericifolium
|
| Binomial name | |
| Conospermum ericifolium | |
Description
editConospermum ericifolium is a slender, erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 50–80 cm (20–31 in), sometimes to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) and has long, thin branches. The flowers are arranged in panicles of head-like spikes or in dense spikes, on hairy peduncles 14–46 mm (0.55–1.81 in) long. The bracteoles are 2.8–3.4 mm (0.11–0.13 in) long and 1.75–2.5 mm (0.069–0.098 in) wide. The perianth is cream-coloured to white forming a tube 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long. The upper lip is sac-like, 1.5–1.8 mm (0.059–0.071 in) long and 1.6–2.0 mm (0.063–0.079 in) wide, the lower lip joined for 0.75–1 mm (0.030–0.039 in) with lobes 1.2–1.6 mm (0.047–0.063 in) long and 0.6–0.8 mm (0.024–0.031 in) wide. Flowering in spring, and the fruit is a nut 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long with golden hairs.[2][3]
Taxonomy
editConospermum ericifolium was first formally described in 1808 by James Edward Smith in Abraham Rees's Cyclopædia from specimens collected by John White.[4][5] The specific epithet (ericifolium) refers to the similarity of the leaves to plants in the genus Erica .[6]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species of Conospermum grows in heath and shrubby woodland from Toukley to Nowra and Jervis Bay, on the coast around Sydney.[2][3]
References
edit- ^ "Conospermum ericifolium". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Conospermum ericifolium". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ a b Bennett, Eleanor M. "Conospermum ericifolium". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Conospermum ericifolium". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Smith, James Edward (1808). Rees, Abraham (ed.). The Cyclopaedia; or, Universal dictionary of arts, sciences, and literature. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 93
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